Lover's Leap
by Holly Chase
Summary: Standing at the Cliffs' Edge, wondering: 'Should I Jump'. Seven times Luke let go and one time he fell.


_**Lover's Leap:**_

Standing at the Cliffs' Edge

**~Wondering: 'Should I Jump?'~**

_Seven times Luke let go and one time he fell._

* * *

**I: Run Away**

Luke packs his bag,

Taking care to grab everything he might require.

His **MP3 player**, of course.

_(Along with some spare cash and a picture he drew years ago.)_

Slowly, he pulls the _faded_ paper from his jacket folds and (stares) at it,

Then he folds it up again and places it by his w/i/n/d/o/w sill.

He'll leave it there.

_(As a sign that he once lived __here__.)_

He leaves his **blue and white** room [behind] with;

1One1

…Simple…

/Click\ of a door.

_(And almost falls down the steps in an effort to escape.)_

He _**promises**_ his Mom to come home for lunch,

He (almost) feels bad that he won't see her again;

He 'shoves' the feeling away.

He has resolved to **run**.

_(Anything that tries to stop him from doing so is a danger.)_

He can't stay.

But as his Mom bustles around the kitchen with a **friendly** smile,

As if she hadn't been:

::Screaming::

About the _future_ only the night before.

_(He can't help but think that she might get __**worse**__ without him being around.)_

That's a scary thought,

Luke can't ;;imagine;; his Mom any worse.

Luke **has** to go.

_(Before she drives him as insane as she is.)_

She sees him to the porch,

**Joking** and _giggling_ like any (normal) person.

Only Luke knows what she becomes behind [closed] doors.

They hug:

He tells her that he loves her for possibly the 1first1 time in his life.

It's sad, the 1first1 time he says:

'_I love you, Mom'_

Is the day he leaves

Luke had never really felt the need to say it before then,

She had never really been a Mom.

_(Not someone to go to after a nightmare.)_

However,

Luke holds her ***tightly*** until she prises him from her and tells him that:

She'll

See

Him

_Soon_

A lump forms in his throat, and he blinks back ',tears',

"_Mom… Mom I-" _

He begins, but is **interrupted**,

By a s{w}i{r}l{i}n{g} _green mist_ that spews from **her** mouth.

_Glowing_ eyes that have haunted him his whole life.

Rasping voice that means '_hide'_.

She ((begs)) him not to go:

With warnings of his _future_

_(And that was what did it.)_

With **terror** pulling at his heart,

Luke pulls himself free of her ))grasp(( and runs.

He doesn't look [back].

He **can't** let himself do so.

…If he did…

And watched his Mom fall to the ground…

**Sobbing**…

His resolve might weaken.

_(He might go back.)_

He can't go back,

Ever.

Luke doesn't notice that he's ',crying',

Not until he can **taste** salt and his face his raw and red;

[He's done it]

He's severed ties with the woman who made his :::life:::

**Hell**

For

_Years_.

_(But even as he knows he should feel triumphant, there's an ache in his heart.)_

If he's run away for good…

?Then why does he feel so bad?

* * *

**II: Winged-Foot Messenger**

Luke tears a scrap of crumpled paper to shreds.

It's almost pitiful,

But it's not.

"Tears"

',drizzle',

Down his cheeks

In s-h-o-r-t fat lumps of water

That quickly forms ~rivers~

And then, it's like he's become a /waterfall\\

_(Like that one he once saw on TV.)_

Water pouring from brimming lids in great ~_waves_~ of salty sea

_(Rip. Rrrip.)_

Luke doesn't know how many times he can rip the paper up;

He doesn't know how long it will be before he can stop ',crying',

All he knows is that:

He

Can't

_**Stop**_.

_(Rip. Rrrip)_

He

Physically

Cannot

_**Stop**_:

Destroying the paper,

Stem the "tears",

Fight himself.

And it makes him feel weak.

Feeling weak makes him feel !angry!.

!Anger! is good;

He can deal with !anger!;

Only _problem_ was that Luke _was_ dealing with his !anger!.

_(Rip. Rrrip.)_

He pauses to wipe his eyes,

A (young) girl with **dark** brown eyes

And )smile( creases

Glances at him from around her parent.

The queue is moving s-l-o-w-l-y

She tilts her head to one side _curiously_.

Luke ^scowls^ at her

!Angrily!;

He doesn't want _sympathy_,

He doesn't want her to look at him.

He just wants to be left **alone**.

_(Is that really too much to ask?) _

He's about to start _tearing_ again,

When he realises that he's run out of paper.

He glares at the pile of s/h/r/e/d/d/e/d paper in his hand,

Willing it to burn up.

He doesn't blink,

**Focusing** all his energy at the paper.

It doesn't work.

Luke throws the remains of his letter as f.a.r as he can,

The _white_ strips fly into the air in a w,h,o,o,s,h.

They hang in mid-air for a 1second1,

Like a

Freeze-frame,

Before falling like *snow*,

To the ground

The girl

In the queue

Watches

He stares around him at the +streaks+ of _white_.

He won't cry again.

He

**Won't**.

_(But he does.)_

It might /wash/ away;

Everything he ever felt for Hermes.

The }winged-foot{ messenger guy.

Who _couldn't_ be bothered.

Never _had_ bothered.

Never _would_ bother.

(Luke **didn't** care.)

_(Or not for long, anyway.)_

* * *

**III: Friends**

"_That's so cool!"_

(It's really not.)

"_I can't believe it…"_

(You'd better start.)

"_Liar!"_

(He wishes.)

"_You're insane!"_

(Maybe…)

"_So, you're telling me your dad actually is Hermes; the Greek God. _

_The freaky people who occasionally try to kill us are monsters from ancient Greek Myths; like Gorgons? _

_But I can't see them because of something called Mist? _

_Is that it?"_

(?Someone who gets it?)

"_I think you need a friend."_

"_I need a friend so badly right now."_

(And, boy doesn't he!)

_?Or doesn't he?_

Myles is **everything** he could wish for.

He understands.

Doesn't push

/but is always there/

He _accepts_ Luke.

(Jokes around and hides his stuff, but still _accepts_.)

Which is m/o/r/e than Luke could have hoped for.

Maybe his life doesn't suck so much?

_**Jinx**_

(Forgot to touch wood.)

"_Why are you giving me an eraser?"_

"_It's a sword. It'll keep you safe."_

(Liar.)

The *sword-eraser* fails.

It doesn't keep him **safe**.

Myles is _dead_.

(?)

It's **not** true.

It **can't** be true.

(But it is.)

His body,

b-r-o-k-e-n

B'L,E'E,D'I,N'G

(Luke realises.)

_Demigods can't have friends._

Because it always ends badly.

…Luke doesn't want to be %hurt% again…

So he remains **alone**.

(For a while)

* * *

**IV: Family**

His Mom was **scary**,

His Dad didn't give a *rat's fart*,

His Godly relatives loved to make life hard,

His mortal relatives thought he was d/e/a/d

_(A pretty sucky family)_

Until…

**Her**

Thalia

_Thalia Grace_

**Thals**

Lia

_Sparky_

**Bolt**

Lightning

'_Shut-up-you-insufferable-daughter-of-Zeus-before-I-stick-your-head-on-a-spike'_

His **Best** **Friend**

_(Forever)_

And sometimes…

Sometimes; maybe, something more?

_(Or was that wish-full thinking?)_

She was like a sister,

[And Mom,]

[And brother]

And friend

And **everything** he had never had.

_(As he was everything she hadn't known she wanted.)_

**Him**

Luke

_Luke Castellan_

**Lucky**

Luke-y

_Thief_

**Speedy**

Jonathon

[Don't even ask]

'_Don't-you-dare-you-idiot-of-a-son-of-Hermes-or-I-will-eletrocute-you'_

Her Best Friend

_(For always)_

And 1once1…

She thought maybe…

Just, maybe…

_[It wasn't to be]_

They became **family**.

;;Hesitantly;;

S-l-o-w-l-y,

But,

S.u.r.e.l.y

They both = reach = out,

And catch each other.

{Heal} each other.

Then both of them think:

'_Maybe it isn't so impossible after all'_

(**Jinx**)

They meet _**Annabeth**_

In an \alley/

And become a 3three3.

Perfect.

**Mommy**, _Daddy_ and baby

**Thalia**, _Luke_ and Annabeth

She learns to fight, fast

They learn about kids, together

She learns about the world

They learn about innocence

'_Yeah'_

They say

'_We're a family.'_

And they are

A dysfunctional,

**Crazy**,

_Upside-down_

_**Family**_

_(But aren't those the best kind?)_

Next comes Grover

A (temporary) addition

They don't _plan_ on it

But he /folds/ into their make-shift family

Perfectly

He tells them of a place

Where **'kids like them'** are safe

'_It's a Camp where demigods like you are trained'_

?More demigods?

'_I can get you there in five days'_

5

Sounds too good to be true

'_Are you in?'_

Does the question need answering?

They get ready

_(Luke can almost hear the monsters behind them)_

They'll meet more people like them

_**Family**_

_(Maybe it didn't suck so much.)_

Luke watches in **horror**

A s/t/r/u/g/g/l/i/n/g, crying kid in 1one1 arm

A f-a-i-n-t-i-n-g satyr in the other

With a yell

_(Or a scream)_

Luke raises his **weapon** and )(runs)(

_Nobody_ can catch him

_(Spoke too soon)_

A body /slams\ into him

Arms grip around his body

**Constraining** him

'_You can't do anything.'_

The voice whispers

'_No one can.'_

Luke screams properly that time

**Thalia**

((nononononono))

?What was she doing?

?What was he doing?

Thalia's face flashes in his head:

'_You owe me one.'_

'**No Thalia, anything but this.'**

'_Take Annabeth, I'll be right behind you.'_

(Liar)

Luke sobs v.i.o.l.e.n.t.l.y

,,Drops,, to the ground

Rolls out of the guys grip

'_Hey_!'

Sprints back down the hill

'**THALIA!'**

_(Please, Zeus, no)_

She stood II motionless II

An –arrow through her chest

'**NOOO!'**

Luke was definitely ',crying', now

Thalia turned her head towards him

Eyes warm

They flash with:

**Pain**

_Sorrow_

And something else…

_(Something he can't quite place…)_

Then she drops to her knees

Luke runs forwards

And is shoved back

A blue force-field is :**b:l:o:c:k:i:n:g:** him

He watches

As a 1single1 vine warps its way around **Thalia**

It starts at her ankle

(((Binding and twirling)))

All the way to her shoulders

Other's join in

W/e\a/v\i/n\g between each other

}Sprouting{ off from her shoulders

**Thalia** is forced to her feet by the plants

_(Maybe they want to help)_

They pause

…

And then **conceal** her completely

Thalia has gone

_Vanished_

**Disappeared**

#Turned into a tree#

A _pine_ tree

_(Family defiantly sucks.)_

* * *

**V: Camp**

Camp Half-Blood.

Even the name makes him _sort-of-kinda-maybe_ smile,

_(He hasn't smiled properly for weeks)_

It's a place for people like **him&&&Annabeth**

_(she never made up the hill)_

**Don't think about that.**

He has friends,

And food,

And shelter,

And… well… a home.

_(He never thought he'd get those things again)_

He finds his _**talent**_ fast

Sword fighting

Something **brave** and **heroic**.

_(Something he failed to teach his friend)_

**Don't think about that.**

He works his way ^up^ the /ranks\.

Until he's _right at the top_

And **can't** get any higher.

The he gets a _**quest**_.

_(?Yay?)_

He should be _excited_!

_Happy_!

_Joyful_!

But Luke only feels [fear]

[Pain]

He must collect one of Hera's Golden Apples

_(Easy, right?)_

_(Wrong.)_

He fails

(_again_)

**Don't think about that.**

He _failed_.

**Failed**.

Failed.

He's a _**failure**_.

No wonder his father doesn't care about him.

**Don't think about that.**

Then, **The Voice** speaks.

_Tantalizingly_

**It's right,**

Luke thinks.

_(But is it?)_

**Don't think about that.**

So

Luke

Doesn't.

_(It has to be right)_

The Gods are bad

_Evil_

Destroyers

**(They **_**killed**_** Her)**

* * *

**VI: Him**

Luke reached out towards the [box]

The _**inscribed**_ words made him s*h*u*d*d*e*r

_Kronos: Lord of Time_

Kronos, the **T****itan**

Leader of the **T****itans**

((Encased)) in _his_ body

The …thought… made his knees go w-e-a-k

It was shameful

_Downgrading_

**Terrifying**

And Luke wanted out

"_Hello, Luke"_

A "cold" voice called

He !started!

Nobody else moved

**The Voice** spoke only to him

"_I see you're having second thoughts?"_

Yes,

Thought Luke

"_No_,"

He said aloud

He knew which answer would get him _killed_

_**(Well, both would eventually; he supposed)**_

Luke began to speak

{Doubts} echoed in his head

His face remained a :::mask:::

**This was it;**

He supposed,

_**The End**_

_Termination_

**Fin**

Luke grimaced,

His story didn't have a **'happy ending'**

He wouldn't be the 1first1 'bad guy' to not

_Get the girl_

&&And&&

**Win the war**

(Luke hated doing things second)

Wait

…

_?What was he thinking?_

He was doubting **Lord Kronos**

Agreeing that the side **he was fighting for - would lose - **

The realisation struck him

Like a /l/i/g/h/t/n/i/n/g/ bolt

_**(And Luke knew what they felt like)**_

"_I am Luke Castellan and the Gods drove me to this"_

He finished

**This was it**

He had realised he was on the 'wrong side'

Just

In

Time

To do _absolutely nothing_;

Attempt to destroy the people he had just deemed '_**right'**_

"_Tut tut, Luke"_

Kronos' voice u(t(t(e(r(e(d

{Inside his head now}

Luke felt a film _seep_ over him

Like honey

**Oozing** and leaching

_Until _

_**His**_

_Body_

_Was _

_**Covered**_

Luke felt his lips pull into a )smile(

He couldn't help it

"_We've been having some traitorous thoughts"_

Luke saw the world change **colour**

A [_golden]_ tint on everything

Then it began to ~spin~

"_Nighty-night, Luke-y boy"_

And then Luke felt himself t.u.m.b.l.e into an **a/b/y/s/s**.

* * *

**VII: Her**

Luke hangs onto **Her**

_**(His old friend)**_

The **Him**&**Her**&**Annabeth** of older,

_Better_

Times

He loses himself

In memories

Of

**Them**

_"Come on Luke, lets' go and kill some monsters!"_

_"All teenage boys love their inner Superman!"_

Blue eyes flashing

Lips quirking

Black hair spiked up in a wind-blown Mohican

Pearly teeth gritted in unwilling pain

_**(Or a smile)**_

Thick lashes

A dusting of freckles

Pale skin with scattered scars

_**(And possibly the ugliest shield of all time)**_

Everything that made **Her**:

Thalia Grace

_**(Daughter of Zeus)**_

He knew **Her** like the

Back

Of

His

Hand

_**(Or better, hands change over time and She never did)**_

From **Her** sleeping habits

To **Her** fear of heights

To **Her** love of cheese burgers

"_We're friends forever, right?"_

"_Yeah, forever and always."_

_**(Luke used to hate liars)**_

_**((And hypocrites))**_

Everything was

Perfect

_**(For a short time)**_

Then She got turned into a tree

_**(A pine tree)**_

/I\

/\\

/\\\

/With fir\

/And seeds\

/And branches\

/\\\\\\\\\\

I Oh, I

And **She** protected the Camp **She** had never reached

_**(The Camp that effectively killed Her)**_

Because **She** was dead

Dead

_Dead_

_**(As a doornail)**_

"_She's not dead"_

Said the old centaur

"_Trees are alive"_

Said a green nymph

"_She's asleep, healing"_

Which of course: helped so much

_**(Not)**_

"_She's NOT dead! She can't be!"_

"_Of course she's not dead Annie, trees are alive! Thalia's just… sleeping"_

Luke convinced the little girl

It worked

Annabeth could sleep soundly once more

Luke only wished his

_Insomnia_

Could *vanish* just as fast

With only a few reassuring words

'**Thalia's not dead'**

Luke told himself

_Over_

&And&

_Over_

'**Thalia's not dead'**

He didn't really believe it though

If **She** were alive, **She** wouldn't be hiding out in a tree

But something

Inside

Of him

Wouldn't let him give up on **Her**

Wouldn't let him say **She** wasn't coming back

[_EVER_]

_**(Maybe part of him had known Thalia Grace couldn't have been defeated by some vines)**_

So Luke visited the tree every day

Sometimes only for a minute

-Pressing- his hand to the #truck#

**Hoping** for a slight pressure

Squeezing back

A sign that **She** was still there

Other times he would sit there for hours

Talking

About his day

About the campers

About **Annabeth**

About him

Or sometimes he would remain

_Silent_

And absorb the sense of strength that always came from being around **Her**

_However faint_

_**(It would always be there)**_

Unless, of course, someone were to {poison} **Her** tree

As he .:kneels:. there

With a d/a/g/g/e/r in 1one1 hand

A [vial] of gorgon blood in the other

A sick feeling ^rises^

From the pit of his stomach

_?How can he do this?_

A voice screams:

"_STOP IT!"_

Luke stops

Hardly daring to **breathe**

Because

For a second

He could have _sworn_

That

He had heard

**Thalia Grace**

He willed **Her** to talk again

But another voice did so

**The Voice**

Speaks to him

From some _**shadowed**_ corner of his mind

"_Do it, Luke."_

The blade presses to the bark

He begs for **Her** voice to break through the quiet

But nothing comes

Then,

"_Do it, Luke. Now!"_

He \stabs/ down

There's a c-r-a-c-k-i-n-g noise

He pours the vial's contents into the fissure

A ',tear', trickling down his cheek

A branch **creaks**

Needles fall

They turn _yellow_

Luke turns around

And

II Walks II

_Away_

?

_**(Like the bad guy he is)**_

_He fought __**Her**_

He fought **Her**

**He fought Her**

He can't _believe_ it

They had _battled_

In _armour_

With _weapons_

And the intention of **killing** one another

**She** _had_ tried to kill him

_**(And that was what hurt the most)**_

She hadn't let him explain

Hadn't joined the cause he had started _for __**Her**_

He had been certain **She** would

_Understand_

Appreciate

**Join**

But she hadn't

Then

She

Joined the _**Hunters**_

'_The Immortal girls'_

_**(Who she said she'd would never join)**_

'_The Eternal Virgins'_

Who, had forsaken all love

In return for endless –hunting

With the _Goddess_ Artemis

_**(Another Olympian who didn't try to save Her)**_

Whom **She** had forgiven

For never helping

For _never_ listening

And for, _oh_,

Letting **Her** die?

_**(Or not, as it had turned out)**_

Luke didn't (?) understand (?)

But then again,

**Thalia** had always been a *_better_ _person*_

_Always_ would be

_Forever_

(_**Literally**_)

**Thalia** was beyond him

From then on

They were _enemies_

And he wouldn't spare a 2second2 thought

_(2__nd__)_

For the

#**Death**# of

**Thalia Grace**

(_**Daughter of Zeus**_)

"_Kill everyone"_

The golden-eyed boy said.

"_Everyone?"_

The boy in an eye-patch questioned,

Already drawing his sword

"_Everyone"_

A pause

…

And then a different tone of voice

_Desperate_

**Pleading**

Trapped

"_Spare __**Her**__. Please"_

Ethan cast his gaze suspiciously

"_Who?"_

The boy seemed thrown.

"_NOBODY!"_

He **boomed**

Then,

"_The Hunter with the silver circlet and punk clothes"_

He dragged at his throat

"_Don't let anyone touch __**Her**__"_

The titan regained control

"_Kill everyone."_

"_Of course, Lord"_

Ethan replied,

He looked back at the Titan leader

His eyes were **blue**

_Focused_

Frantic

The eyes of _Luke Castellan_

_**(The lost boy)**_

Ethan nodded once

They could spare the girl.

Gold c.l.o.u.d.e.d over **blue** once more

"_This is my body now."_

Kronos _**whispered**_

"_You'll do as I command, now let go."_

**Let**

**Go**

He made it sound so e-a-s-y

Luke wanted to ((shout));

To scream;

To let all his {bottled} feelings and declarations out

"_Let go"_

**The Voice** said again

And Luke d/i/d

* * *

**Lover's Leap:**

Luke opened his eyes. He was sitting, on the dirt, feet hanging over the precipice of a rock face. The stones beneath him shifted uncomfortably as he stared around him at his surroundings. Where was he? Luke didn't recognize his surroundings immediately, and then as the picturesque scene around him came into focus he breathed out.

He was at a Lover's Leap.

_How fitting,_ he thought dryly rubbing his fingers over a sharp jut. _To be brought here._ Luke stopped as the crunching of foot-steps sounded from behind him. He knew who it was; who it would always be.

"Hello, Thalia," he said quietly, peering over the edge of the cliff. He couldn't see where it ended, just that it went down a long, long way and that he could see clouds drifting beneath him, hanging like fog. She took her time to answer, settling comfortably by his side, just as he took his time to look around.

"Hello, Luke," he forced himself to turn his gaze from the fluctuating vapours and drag it to the girl by his side. Their eyes met, strength flooded through Luke as he drank in the vital feeling of having Thalia by his side once more. For a long while, they just stared, gazes locked and then she broke away to glance around. She brushed her hair away from her eyes, Luke noticed she wasn't wearing a circlet in her hair and felt his heart leap in his chest. She looked younger too, like she had when it had been just her and him. Lithe frame and wild eyes, but a slightly youthful expression and a crooked smile, Luke watched her intently as a puzzled dip between her eyebrows caused her blue eyes to flash. She looked back at him. "Where are we?" she asked. Luke wanted to wrap his arms around her, but locked them to his sides; if this was a dream, he wanted it to last forever.

"I'm not exactly sure," he chose his words carefully. "A Lover's Leap of some kind." Thalia's expression became one of unwilling understanding as she sighed.

"How fitting," she half chuckled.

Wind began to rustle, blowing leaves from some trees that Luke hadn't notice before towards them. Luke waited for the cold taps of decaying leaves to brush against his skin, but none came. He looked down; his body had become a blurred mass of colour, like a child's charcoal drawing. He looked to Thalia and saw that the same thing had happened to her, with a faded outline that let her almost blend in with the surroundings and blue feral eyes that shone brighter. "What's happening?" He asked, not able to panic in the presence of a calm Thalia after so long. She studied him through crayoned lashes.

"We're not actually here," she paused, catching a leaf in her hand, bringing it back into focus. "Or, maybe we are. You," she pointed at him, letting the sprig fly away, and swirl in the currents of wind like a lost dancer, "Are physically in Manhattan, with Kronos controlling your body." Luke gulped, now the dream would end, Thalia would hate him again and he would return to the nightmare of his life, right where it had finished, with Ethan realising wrong from right. Thalia continued, without even a snide comment. "However, you're mentally here, with me. And me? I'm here because you brought me to you," she lowered her gaze. "I'm not the real Thalia Grace," she explained. "Just your version of Thalia, that's why I look so young; because that's the age I was when we were together." She smiled at him, her sketchy figure slanting and a wispy sunrise beginning to appear. "You look younger too, Luke," her voice changed to the softer tone that had once been reserved for only him and that he had imagined her using again and again, but never thought he'd actually hear again.

"How so?" he questioned, throat dry and voice catching. Thalia brought her palm towards his face, and brushed his cheek left gently.

"You don't have a scar," was the simple answer he received. Luke smiled genuinely down at Thalia; her hand cupped his cheek, pale skin against tan, and she rested it there for a long moment in which Luke forgot to breathe.

"You're here," Luke said quietly.

"I've always been here," Thalia replied quietly. "In here," she touched his forehead, "and in here," she pressed her hand to his chest, and to Luke it felt as if she was actually touching his heart. They sat like that for a while, drking in each other's presence. "So," Thalia's voice sounded strange after the long pause. "What are you going to do now?" she wasn't accusing or angry, just curious and Luke felt his heart swell.

"What do you mean: do?" Luke wished she would go back to just talking and letting him sit there, at peace. Thalia shot him a look that he hadn't seen for years. It made his cracked lips smile; it was good to see it again.

"I _mean_," Thalia's voice crackled with the energy and intensity that no one else's possessed. "What are you going to do about stopping that evil Titan Lord that's inhabiting your body and attempting to destroy the world as we know it, for a cause that we both agree is _wrong_?" She stopped to inhale and in the absence of words attempted to slam her fist onto the ground to push her point. However, her hand simply vanished through the earth and her whole arm became a ghostly spectre. "_Damn_, that's going to get _old_!" she cussed and Luke felt his old-style smirk creep its way onto his features. "_Are you laughing at me_?" Thalia pointed her finger challengingly at him, sparks flying off the end and singeing his eyebrows. Luke couldn't help it, he laughed and fell silent; then, Thalia chuckled once. They caught each other's eyes, and before he knew it, they were hugging.

"I've missed you, Thals," Luke said once they broke apart, the air between them officially cleared.

"I wish I could say the same, _Jonathon_," Luke grimaced at his nickname. "_Really_, that _still_ gets to you?" Thalia asked incredulously and then shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, anyway; I would say that I've missed you too, but I've been stuck in your head."

"Whaaat?" Luke dragged out the syllable as he shook his head.

"I'm the little voice in your head that kept shouting '_NO_!' Your conscience, sense of right, decency-"

"Alright, alright!" Luke interrupted. "I get it!" Thalia gazed at him expectantly. "Okay, fine; I don't get it. How were you in my head again?" Thalia opened her mouth to reply, probably with a cutting joke at his expense; when suddenly the cliffs vanished, so did Thalia. Luke looked around, everything was hazy and fuzzy, like he was watching an old video tape or through some dirty window.

"_I WILL CRUSH YOU CHILD!" _The voice blew Luke off his feet… or it would have, if Luke _had_ any feet to speak of, but everything below his chest had vanished and maybe even above that too, but Luke could see to tell. Vaguely, Luke recognized Annabeth, standing limply before him. Percy and Grover filtered in the corner of his eye and the destroyed Olympian throne room made him step (float?) back in shock.

"LUKE!" Thalia was sitting next to him again, shaking his shoulders roughly. "We don't have much time," she spoke urgently and quickly, barely pausing to respire. "Kronos is getting ready to change. It's going to _kill_ you, Luke. He's going to kill _everyone_!" She leant forwards, "He's going to kill me; the real me, Hunter me." Luke licked his parched lips, about to start scuffing his boot on the rocks that appeared beneath him again, before remembering that it would past straight through.

"Are you Thalia Grace?" he asked. She locked gazes with him again.

"Possibly," she offered, Luke nodded. And nodded again, fixing a determined expression to his face. That was all he needed. "You know what you'll have to do?" Thalia asked, she faded in and out of his vision, letting disturbingly opaque rays of the still-rising sun. Luke nodded.

"Yeah," They stood up awkwardly. Thalia put out her hand, Luke took it and they shook firmly, and then embraced. Thalia turned, and then swivelled back around.

"I'll wait." She floundered, then back-tracked. "I mean- Only if you want me to…" Luke put one finger to her lips and held out his right hand.

"Come with me?" the question was filled with insecurity and hope, more fragile than a butterfly's wing. Thalia smiled and grasped his hand firmly.

"I thought you would never ask,"

Luke's hand was grasped around a knife, no a _dagger_: Annabeth's dagger. Without even thinking, Luke plunged it into his mortal point, under his left arm. Pain was immediate and overwhelming. It scorched every inch of him until Luke was certain he had been sent to the pits of Tartarus and everything was already over. And then, he could see again. Annabeth, Percy and Grover were kneeling by his body. Worry was glazing their eyes as his old friends tried to reassure him. It was all Luke could do not to laugh. Thalia stood in the background sketchy and pale, but vitally there.

Luke held up a hand for Annabeth, his little sister, to take. She did so, and in that moment he felt her forgive him, she had forgiven him. Even though he had done unjustifiably awful things to her, when he knew that she would always believe in him. He had used her, so many times, but now; like this as he felt life slipping away, Luke felt the bond between them surge back, linking him to the little girl he and Thalia had found in an alley so many years ago. Luke squeezed her hand, letting her know that he was there, again; after all long years of not. He had apologized, kind of; he had said all he could. Luke looked back at Thalia who had drifted closer. He parted his lips, trying to force out the words, but they got jammed in his throat. He wanted to say something tactful, explanative, something that would sweep her off her feet (although Thalia was floating several metres above the ground, like a punk angle). However, Luke being Luke gave up after almost splitting his head in two with effort, he would go for it.

"_Did you- Did you love me?"_ Luke's heart stopped for a second and jerked. Annabeth was saying something, but all Luke could see was Thalia. She smiled slowly, nodded her head once and held out her hand to him. Luke nodded bravely, she did. Or at least, this Thalia did; his Thalia did. That was all that mattered now. Luke wished he could grab her hand and never let go, follow her wherever she took him, because she had forgiven him too; but there was a couple more things he had left to right yet. Grover spoke quietly, desperately. Luke was reminded of a time when he was part of a different group of four, running up a hill with monsters chasing after them at frightening speeds and with only one purpose.

"_-ambrosia," _the satyr was saying hopefully. Luke's heart lifted again, Grover had forgiven him too, but at the same time a cold feeling was beginning to encase his heart, like a block of ice. A sudden image of a girl in a bandana, grasping a spear and frozen solid came to mind. _"We can-"_ Luke admired the satyr even as he interrupted. There was no going back now, he was already slipping.

Luke was back by the cliff; wind was rushing past him, blowing his hair around his face. Thalia was standing next to him again, their hands still intertwined. Together, they took another step towards the very brink of the bluff. A couple of pebbles scattered and dropped from the overhang, through the grey clouds like fallen birds. He looked down at his Thalia again, she looked up at him, they smiled bravely and Luke imagined the strength it must have taken Thalia to stand there, unwavering beside him when he knew her fear of heights should have rendered her terrified. Then they were back, with pain overwhelming him and Thalia holding out her hand. Luke turned to Percy, the silent boy who had braved so much, and gripped his sleeve. His skin felt freezing, like ice; but it was Percy who flinched away, as though he had been burnt. Luke wished he could apologize, secure the forgiveness from Percy as he had from everyone else. But weakness had caught up and it was all he could do to spit out his last request. Percy had every right to ignore it, to turn away from the person who had tried to kill him so many times. But, just like everyone else, Percy nodded and gripped his arm.

"_I promise,"_ the words echoed around the room; or maybe just inside Luke's head, Percy had forgiven him. He could leave now. Luke looked at Thalia once again, nodded and reached out. He felt himself wriggle free from the dead-weight of his body and the sensation of liberty overtook him for a second. Then Thalia took his hand and they were gone again, leaving behind the mess Luke had created and the world from which they came.

"Should I jump?" Luke wondered aloud. He looked to his companion who shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, we're going anyway." She sounded excited and nervous at once. Luke tipped one foot over the edge experimentally. "Although," she continued, "if this is your last moment, you might as well have some fun." They grinned at each other and leapt from the cliff, hand-in-hand. There was a loud thunder clap and a bright strike of lightning. As they began to fall, slower than Luke had imagined, Luke drew Thalia closer to him, wrapping his arms around her. She twisted her arms around his neck, crooking her neck back to stare up at him. They stayed like that for a long time, falling and staring. _I wonder when we'll reach the bottom,_ Luke thought; _we can't be far off now._ He looked back at the dark-hair girl in his arms, _if this is my last moment…_ and then he kissed her. They twined together and held onto each other tightly, as if each of them were expecting the other to disappear, as events had always played out for them. The Fates, however, left the daughter of Zeus and son of Hermes alone, the prophecy was finished, the eight defining moments of Luke Castellan's unfortunate life was over, they had no more business with the two.

So as Luke and Thalia fell and fell and fell, they kissed, not needing air, or food, drink. All they needed was each other and that was all they would ever need. Such is the story of Lover's Leap, where the fall never ends and love never dies.

* * *

_You're all I'm reaching for  
It's already over  
All I'm reaching for  
It's already over now_

_I'd give it all to you_  
_I offer up my soul_  
_It's already over, already over now_

_RED_

_Already Over_


End file.
